Registration of snowmobiles; trail use stickers
Wis. Stat. § 350.12
in effect(1) Registration requirement. After January 1, 1970, no person shall operate, and no owner shall give permission for the operation of any snowmobile within this state unless the operation of the snowmobile complies with sub. (3) (a) 1. or (5) (cm) or is exempt from registration. No political subdivision shall have authority to register or license snowmobiles.
(2) Exemption. A snowmobile is exempt from registration if it is one of the following:
(a) Owned by the United States, another state or a political subdivision thereof, but such snowmobiles shall display the name of the owner on the cowling thereof.
(b) Covered by a valid registration in another state, province or country, provided there is some identification of registration displayed on the snowmobile and it has not been in this state for more than 15 consecutive days.
(bm) Covered by a valid registration of a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band, if all of the following apply:
1. The registration program of the tribe or band is covered by an agreement under s. 23.35.
2. The snowmobile displays the registration decal required by the tribe or band.
3. The snowmobile has not been, for more than 15 consecutive days, in that portion of this state that is outside the boundaries of the reservation where it is registered.
(bn) In the registration application process in another state, province or country, if proof of the application for registration is carried on the operator and the snowmobile has not been in this state for more than 15 consecutive days.
(c) Used exclusively for racing on a raceway facility.
(d) Present in this state, for a period not to exceed 15 days, and if it is used exclusively as part of an advertisement being made for the manufacturer of the snowmobile.
(3) Applications, issuances, renewals, fees.
(a)
1. Except as provided under subs. (2) and (5) (cm), no person may operate and no owner may give permission for the operation of any snowmobile within this state unless the snowmobile is registered for public use or private use under this paragraph or s. 350.122 or as an antique under par. (b) and has the registration decals displayed as required under sub. (5) or s. 350.122 or unless the snowmobile has a plate and a registration decal attached as required under par. (c) 3. A snowmobile that is not registered as an antique under par. (b) may be registered for public use. A snowmobile that is not registered as an antique under par. (b) and that is used exclusively on private property, as defined under s. 23.33 (1) (n), may be registered for private use. A snowmobile public-use registration certificate is valid for 3 years beginning on the July 1 prior to the date of application if registration is made prior to April 1 and beginning on the July 1 subsequent to the date of application if registration is made after April 1 and ending on June 30, 3 years thereafter. A snowmobile private-use registration certificate is valid from the date of issuance until ownership of the snowmobile is transferred. The fee for the issuance or renewal of a public-use registration certificate is $30, except that the fee is $5 if it is a snowmobile owned and operated by a political subdivision of this state. There is no fee for the issuance of a private-use registration certificate or for the issuance of a registration certificate to the state.
2. Upon transfer of ownership of a snowmobile for which a registration certificate has been issued by this state or by another state, province, or country, the seller shall, at time of sale, deliver the assigned certificate to the purchaser.
3. The purchaser shall complete the application for transfer and cause it to be delivered to the department or an agent appointed under sub. (3h) (a) 3. within 10 days from the date of purchase. A fee of $5 shall be paid for transfer of a current registration certificate.
4. Whenever a snowmobile is junked, the owner shall return the certificate of registration to the department marked “junked”.
(b)
1. An owner of a snowmobile may register the snowmobile as an antique snowmobile if it is at least 35 years old at the time that the owner applies for such registration. Upon payment of a fee of $20, the owner shall be furnished a registration certificate and decals of a distinctive design, in lieu of the design on the decals issued under par. (d). The design shall show that the snowmobile is an antique. The registration certificate shall be valid for 3 years. If the snowmobile is registered before April 1, the 3-year period begins on the July 1 before the date of application. If the snowmobile is registered on or after April 1 of a given year, the 3-year period begins on the July 1 after the date of application. The fee for issuance of the initial registration certificate is $20. The fee for renewal of the registration is $5.
2. An owner who has applied to register a snowmobile under this paragraph before April 10, 2014, is exempt from the initial registration requirement under subd. 1. if the person submits an application to renew the registration under subd. 1. before March 1, 2015.
3. Unless inconsistent with this paragraph, the provisions of this chapter applicable to other snowmobiles shall apply to antique snowmobiles.
(c)
1. Every person who is a snowmobile manufacturer, snowmobile dealer, snowmobile distributor or snowmobile renter or any combination thereof engaged in business in this state shall register with the department and obtain from the department a commercial snowmobile certificate.
2. The fee for issuing or renewing a commercial snowmobile certificate is $90. Upon receipt of the application form required by the department and the fee required under this subdivision, the department shall issue to the applicant a commercial snowmobile certificate and 3 registration decals. The fee for additional registration decals is $30 per decal.
3. A person who is required to obtain a commercial snowmobile certificate under subd. 1. shall attach in a clearly visible place a plate that is removable and temporarily but firmly mounted to any snowmobile that is not registered for public use and that the person leases, rents, offers for sale or otherwise allows to be used whenever the snowmobile is being operated. A registration decal issued under subd. 2. shall be attached to the plate.
4. The period of validity for a commercial snowmobile certificate is 3 years, to be calculated in the same manner as is the period of validity for a public-use registration certificate under par. (a).
5. Any snowmobile dealer or creditor may offer or sell guaranteed asset protection waivers in connection with the retail sale or lease of snowmobiles in this state if the dealer or creditor complies with the same requirements applicable with respect to motor vehicles under s. 218.0148. Any guaranteed asset protection waiver offered or sold under this subdivision shall be treated the same as one offered or sold under s. 218.0148, including that the guaranteed asset protection waiver is not insurance.
(cm) Subsection (3h) does not apply to commercial snowmobile certificates and registration decals issued under par. (c) 2. or to registration certificates issued for antique snowmobiles under par. (b).
(d)
1. Upon receipt of the required fee, a sales report, payment of sales and use taxes due under s. 77.61 (1), and an application on forms prescribed by the department, a temporary operating receipt or a registration certificate and 2 registration decals shall be issued to the applicant using one of the procedures specified in sub. (3h) (ag) 1.
2. The registration certificate issued under this paragraph or sub. (3h) (ag) 2. shall contain the registration number, the name and address of the owner, and other information the department considers necessary.
3. The decals issued under this paragraph or sub. (3h) (ag) 2. shall be no larger than 3 inches in height and 6 inches in width. The decals shall contain reference to the state, the department, whether the snowmobile is registered for public use or private use under par. (a), or as an antique under par. (b), and shall show the expiration date of the registration.
(e) If a registration certificate, registration decal, or commercial snowmobile certificate is lost or destroyed, the holder of the certificate or decal may apply for a duplicate on forms provided for by the department accompanied by a fee of $5. Upon receipt of a proper application and the required fee, the department or an agent appointed under sub. (3h) (a) 3. shall issue a duplicate certificate, decal, or plate to the applicant.
(f) All fees remitted to or collected by the department under pars. (a) and (e) shall be credited to the appropriation account under s. 20.370 (9) (hu).
(3g) Registration of certain snowmobiles.
(a) Registration certificates issued to persons under s. 350.12 (3) (c) (intro.), 1989 stats., before August 15, 1991, shall remain valid until their expiration dates.
(b) A snowmobile put into use by a snowmobile renter before August 15, 1991, shall be subject to the requirements that are applicable under s. 350.12 (3) (c) (intro.) and 5., 1989 stats., s. 350.12 (3) (d), 1989 stats., s. 350.12 (3) (dm), 1989 stats., and s. 350.12 (5) (b), 1989 stats., and is exempt from the requirement under sub. (3) (c) 3. until the expiration date of the snowmobile registration.
(3h) Registration; procedures.
(a) Issuers. For the issuance of original or duplicate registration documents, for the issuance of reprints under s. 23.47 (3), and for the transfer or renewal of registration documents, the department may do any of the following:
1. Directly issue, transfer, or renew registration documents with or without using the services specified in par. (ag) 1. and directly issue reprints.
3. Appoint persons who are not employees of the department as agents of the department to issue, transfer, or renew registration documents using either or both of the services specified in par. (ag) 1. and to issue reprints.
(ag) Registration; methods of issuance.
1. For the issuance of original or duplicate registration documents and for the transfer or renewal of registration documents, the department shall implement either or both of the following procedures to be provided by the department and any agents appointed under par. (a) 3.:
a. A procedure under which the department or agent appointed under par. (a) 3. accepts applications for registration documents and issues temporary operating receipts at the time applicants submit applications accompanied by the required fees.
b. A procedure under which the department or agent appointed under par. (a) 3. accepts applications for registration documents and issues to each applicant all or some of the registration documents at the time the applicant submits the application accompanied by the required fees.
2. Under either procedure under subd. 1., the applicant shall be issued any remaining registration documents directly from the department at a later date. Any registration document issued under subd. 1. b. shall be sufficient to allow the snowmobile for which the application is submitted to be operated in compliance with the registration requirements under this section.
(ar) Registration; supplemental fees. In addition to the applicable fee under sub. (3) (a), when an agent appointed under par. (a) 3. accepts an application to renew registration documents, or the department accepts an application to renew registration documents through a statewide automated system, the agent or the department shall collect an issuing fee of 50 cents and a transaction fee of 50 cents each time the agent or the department issues renewal registration documents or a renewal temporary operating receipt under par. (ag) 1. a. or b. The agent or the department shall retain the entire amount of each issuing fee and transaction fee the agent or the department collects.
(g) Receipt of fees. All fees remitted to or collected by the department under par. (ar) shall be credited to the appropriation account under s. 20.370 (9) (hu).
(h) Rules. The department may promulgate rules to establish eligibility and other criteria for the appointment of agents under par. (a) 3. and to regulate the activities of these agents.
(3i) Alterations and falsifications prohibited.
(a) No person may intentionally do any of the following:
1. Make a false statement on an application for a registration issued under sub. (3).
2. Alter, remove, or change any number or other character in a vehicle identification number.
(b) No person may do any of the following:
1. Manufacture a vehicle identification number tag that the person knows to contain false information to be placed on a snowmobile.
2. Place a vehicle identification number tag that the person knows to be false on a snowmobile.
(3j) Trail use stickers.
(a)
1. In this paragraph:
a. “Public snowmobile corridor” means a snowmobile trail or other established snowmobile corridor that is open to the public but does not include a snowmobile route.
b. “Temporary trail use receipt” means a receipt issued by the department or an agent under this subsection that shows that an application and the required fees for a trail use sticker have been submitted to the department or an agent appointed under par. (e) 1.
2. No person who is the owner of a snowmobile may operate, or give permission for another person to operate, a snowmobile on a public snowmobile corridor in this state unless any of the following apply:
a. Except as provided in this subd. 2. a., a trail use sticker issued under this subsection is displayed on the snowmobile. For a snowmobile that is required to have a plate attached under sub. (3) (c) 3., the trail use sticker may be displayed on the plate.
b. The operator of the snowmobile is carrying proof of a valid temporary trail use receipt for the snowmobile.
(b) The fee for a trail use sticker issued for a snowmobile that is exempt from registration under sub. (2) (b) or (bn) is $49.25. A trail use sticker issued for such a snowmobile may be issued only by the department and persons appointed by the department and expires on June 30 of each year.
(bg)
1. In this paragraph, “snowmobile club” means an association organized in this state that is a member of the Association of Wisconsin Snowmobile Clubs, that meets at least 3 times per year, that has at least 10 members, and that promotes responsible snowmobiling.
3. The fee for a trail use sticker issued for a snowmobile that is registered under sub. (3) and that is owned by a person who is both a member of a snowmobile club and a member of the Association of Wisconsin Snowmobile Clubs is $9.25.
4. The fee for a trail use sticker issued for a snowmobile that is registered under sub. (3) and that is owned by a person who does not meet the requirements under subd. 3. is $29.25.
5. A trail use sticker issued for a snowmobile for which a fee is charged under this paragraph may be issued only by the department and persons appointed by the department and expires on June 30 of each year.
(c) There is no fee for a trail use sticker issued for a snowmobile that is registered under s. 23.35 or 350.122. The department or Indian tribe or band shall issue a trail use sticker for such a snowmobile when it issues the registration certificate for the snowmobile. The department shall provide Indian tribes or bands that register snowmobiles under s. 23.35 or 350.122 with a supply of trail use stickers.
(d) A snowmobile that is registered as an antique under sub. (3) (b) or that is exempt from registration under sub. (2) (a) or (d) is exempt from having a trail use sticker displayed, and from carrying a temporary trail use receipt, under par. (a).
(e)
1. The department may appoint any person who is not an employee of the department as the department’s agent to issue temporary trail use receipts and collect the fees for these receipts.
2. Any person, including the department, who issues a trail use sticker or a temporary trail use receipt shall collect in addition to the fee under par. (b) or (bg) 3. or 4. an issuing fee of 75 cents. The agent may retain 50 cents of the issuing fee to compensate the agent for the agent’s services in issuing the temporary trail use receipt.
3. The department shall establish by rule procedures for issuing trail use stickers and temporary trail use receipts, and the department may promulgate rules regulating the activities of persons who are authorized to be agents under this paragraph.
4. All fees remitted to or collected by the department under subd. 2. shall be credited to the appropriation account under s. 20.370 (9) (hu).
(3m) Snowmobile registration and trail use sticker receipts.
(a) Deposited in the conservation fund. All moneys that are collected under this section and that are not issuing fees retained by agents appointed by the department shall be deposited in the conservation fund and credited to the snowmobile account established under s. 25.29 (1m).
(d) Estimate. On July 1 of each even-numbered year, the department shall estimate as accurately as possible the total registration receipts for a 2-year period and adjust the estimate periodically to reflect actual receipts.
(4) Aids; appropriation; lapses.
(a) Enforcement, administration and related costs. The moneys appropriated from s. 20.370 (3) (ak) and (aq), (5) (es) and (9) (mu) and (mw) may be used for the following:
1. Registration costs;
2. The cost of the snowmobile recreational council;
2m. The costs incurred by coroners or medical examiners in the submission of reports and blood specimens and by laboratories in the analysis of blood specimens under s. 350.155;
3. The cost of a snowmobile safety and accident reporting program in the sum of $80,000 annually;
3m. The cost of state law enforcement efforts as appropriated under s. 20.370 (3) (ak) and (aq); and
4. An amount necessary to pay the cost of law enforcement aids to counties as appropriated under s. 20.370 (5) (es). On or before June 1, a county shall file with the department on forms prescribed by the department a detailed statement of the costs incurred by the county in the enforcement of this chapter during the preceding May 1 to April 30. The department shall audit the statements and determine the county’s net costs for enforcement of this chapter. The department shall compute the state aids on the basis of 100 percent of these net costs and shall pay these aids on or before October 1. If the state aids payable to counties exceed the moneys available for such purpose, the department shall prorate the payments.
(am) Enforcement aids to department. Of the amounts appropriated under s. 20.370 (3) (ak) and (aq), the department shall allocate $26,000 in each fiscal year to be used exclusively for the purchase of snowmobiles or trailers to carry snowmobiles, or both, to be used in state law enforcement efforts.
(b) Trail aids and related costs. The moneys appropriated under s. 20.370 (1) (mq) and (5) (cb), (cr), (cs), and (cw) shall be used for development and maintenance, the cooperative snowmobile sign program, major reconstruction or rehabilitation to improve bridges on existing approved trails, trail rehabilitation, signing of snowmobile routes, state snowmobile trails and areas, and real-time online tracking of snowmobile trail grooming and geographic information system mapping of snowmobile trails. The department may also obligate from the appropriation account under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) moneys for any of these purposes, except maintenance and except online tracking of snowmobile trail grooming and mapping of snowmobile trails. Except as provided in par. (bd), the moneys shall be distributed as follows:
1. State aids and funds for maintenance costs shall be 100 percent of the actual cost of maintaining the trail per year up to a $300 per mile per year maximum, except as provided in pars. (bg) to (br). Qualifying trails are trails approved by the board as snowmobile trails. State aid for development may equal 100 percent of development expenses. Aids for major reconstruction or rehabilitation projects to improve bridges may equal 100 percent of eligible costs. Aids for trail rehabilitation projects may equal 100 percent of eligible costs. Development shall begin the same year the land is acquired. Moneys available for development shall be distributed on a 100 percent grant basis, 75 percent at the time of approval but no later than January 1 and 25 percent upon completion of the project. A county application may include a request for development, rehabilitation or maintenance of trails, or any combination thereof. Trail routes, sizes and specifications shall be prescribed only by the board.
2. Not more than $15,000 annually for a cooperative sign program with snowmobile clubs for club snowmobile trails open to the public and meeting minimum trail construction standards. Clubs may apply to the department for free signs on forms prescribed by the department and submit required documentation as prescribed by departmental rule on or before April 15 of each year.
3. Not more than $30,000 for a route signing program of aids to cities, villages, towns or counties of up to 100 percent of the cost of initial signing of snowmobile routes which connect authorized trails or which offer entrance to or exit from trails leading to such municipalities. Aid may be provided under this subdivision to cities, villages, towns and counties for up to 100 percent of the cost of placing signs developed under s. 350.108 (1) (b) which briefly explain the intoxicated snowmobiling law along snowmobile routes. Applications and documentation shall be submitted to the department by April 15 of each year on forms prescribed by departmental rule.
4. For the maintenance, rehabilitation and development of snowmobile trails and areas on state lands and for major rehabilitation of snowmobile bridges, 100 percent of the actual cost for development and rehabilitation and 100 percent of the actual cost of maintaining the trails per year up to the per mile per year maximum specified under subd. 1. Qualifying trails are those approved by the board. Trail routes, sizes and specifications shall be prescribed only by the board.
5. For real-time tracking of snowmobile trail grooming through the department’s online trail grooming reporting system and to develop and maintain an accurate, statewide geographic information system map of snowmobile trails, 100 percent of the direct payments to a qualified vendor to provide these services.
(bc) Development costs. For the purposes of par. (b) (intro.), 1. and 4., development includes the following:
1. The purchase of land in fee simple.
2. The acquisition of interests in land by lease, easement, permit, or other agreement if the term of the acquisition is for a period of 3 years or longer.
(bd) Match for stewardship funding. Moneys obligated from the appropriation account under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) for a project under par. (b) shall be limited to no more than 80 percent of the cost of the project. The county, city, village, or town receiving the aid is responsible for the remainder of the project cost.
(be) Maintenance costs. In addition to paying for trail maintenance costs, payments received for maintenance under par. (b) 1. or 4., par. (bg) or (bm) may be used for any of the following:
1. The purchase of liability insurance.
2. The acquisition of interests in land, by lease, easement, permit or other agreement if the term of the acquisition is for a period of less than 3 years.
(bg) Supplemental trail aids; funding.
1. Of the moneys appropriated under s. 20.370 (5) (cs), the department shall make available in fiscal year 2001-02 and each fiscal year thereafter an amount equal to the amount calculated for the applicable fiscal year under s. 25.29 (1) (d) 2m. b. or 3. b. to make payments to the department or a county under par. (bm) for trail maintenance costs incurred in the previous fiscal year that exceed the maximum specified under par. (b) 1. before expending any of the amount for the other purposes specified in par. (b).
2. The department shall calculate an amount equal to the number of trail use stickers issued under sub. (3j) in the previous fiscal year to owners of snowmobiles that are exempt from registration under sub. (2) multiplied by $47 and shall credit this amount to the appropriation account under s. 20.370 (5) (cw). From the appropriation account under s. 20.370 (5) (cw), the department shall make payments to the department or a county for the purposes specified in par. (b). The department shall make payments under par. (bm) for trail maintenance costs that were incurred in the previous fiscal year and that exceed the maximum specified under par. (b) 1. before making payments for any of the other purposes specified in par. (b).
3. The department may, by rule, limit the amount of aid under this paragraph to 5 times the per mile maximum for maintenance specified under par. (b) 1.
(bm) Supplemental trail aids; eligibility. A county or the department shall be eligible for payments under par. (bg) for a given fiscal year if it applies for the aid and if all of the following apply:
1. The actual cost incurred by the department or the county in maintaining its trails that are qualified under par. (b) 1. or 4. in the previous fiscal year exceeds the maximum of $300 per mile per year under par. (b) 1.
2. Of the actual cost incurred by the department or the county in maintaining its trails that are qualified under par. (b) 1. or 4. for the fiscal year applicable under subd. 1., the actual cost incurred in grooming the trails exceeds a maximum of $200 per mile per year.
(bn) Supplemental trail aids; payments. Each county shall submit its application for aid under par. (bm) before the August 1 immediately following June 30 of the fiscal year for which the county is applying. Before the September 15 immediately following the date of application, the department shall make an initial payment to each county that is equal to 50 percent of the amount applied for. After determining under pars. (bg) and (bm) the total amounts due all counties, the department shall notify each county, before the December 1 immediately following the date of the initial payment, of the balance still owing. If the department determines that the total amount for which the county is eligible is less than the amount applied for, the department shall deduct the difference from the balance paid to the county.
(br) Supplemental trail aids; insufficient funding. If the aid that is payable to counties and to the department under par. (bm) exceeds the moneys available under par. (bg), the department may prorate the payments or may request the joint committee on finance to take action under s. 13.101. The requirement of a finding of emergency under s. 13.101 (3) (a) 1. does not apply to such a request.
(c) Lapses.
1. Any moneys appropriated under s. 20.370 (1) (mq), (3) (aq) or (9) (mw) that lapse shall revert to the snowmobile account in the conservation fund.
2. If any moneys appropriated under s. 20.370 (9) (mu) lapse, a portion of those moneys shall revert to the snowmobile account in the conservation fund. The department shall calculate that portion by multiplying the total amount lapsing from the appropriation by the same percentage the department used for the fiscal year to determine the amount to be expended under the appropriation for snowmobile registration.
(5) Registration decals and trail use stickers to be displayed.
(a) The owner of the snowmobile shall attach the registration decals to the snowmobile in a prominent place, and shall maintain the registration decals in a legible condition at all times. Decals shall be not larger than 3 inches in height and 6 inches in width. Registration decals are to be applied on both sides of the cowling of the snowmobile. The owner of the snowmobile shall attach the trail use sticker to the snowmobile in the manner promulgated by rule by the department.
(b) The person operating a snowmobile shall at all times carry proof of the registration certificate or, for an owner who purchased a snowmobile and who has received a temporary operating receipt but who has not yet received the registration certificate, proof of the temporary operating receipt.
(c) The operator of a snowmobile shall exhibit, upon demand, proof of the registration certificate or, for an owner who purchased a snowmobile and who has received a temporary operating receipt but who has not yet received the registration certificate, proof of the temporary operating receipt for inspection by any person authorized to enforce this section as provided under s. 350.17 (1) and (3).
(cm) A person may operate a snowmobile without having the registration decals displayed as provided under par. (a) if the owner has received a validated registration receipt and if the operator of the snowmobile complies with pars. (b) and (c).
(d) At the end of the registration period the department shall send the owner of each snowmobile a renewal application. The owner shall sign the renewal application and submit the application and the proper fee to the department or to an agent appointed under sub. (3h) (a) 3. using one of the procedures specified in sub. (3h) (ag) 1.
(e) This subsection does not apply to any snowmobile to which a plate and decal are attached as required under sub. (3) (c) 3.
(6) Change of address. Whenever the owner of a registered snowmobile changes his or her address, the owner shall within 15 days thereafter notify the department in writing of the new address and of the registration numbers awarded to the owner. At the same time the owner shall endorse the new address on the owner’s registration certificates.
(7) Sales and use taxes. The department shall collect sales and use taxes due under s. 77.61 (1) on any snowmobile registered under this section and the report in respect to those taxes. The department shall use collection and accounting methods approved by the department of revenue.
Source: WI Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/350.12Fetched: 10/7/2026